Nigeria at 52: Avoid obsession with the past, Atiku urges Nigerians

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar wants Nigerians to avoid obsession with the past, which he says is capable of making them hope in today and the future.

Atiku, in a goodwill message on the occasion of the nation’s 52nd Independence Anniversary, said a sense of nostalgia was leading Nigerians to give up about the present and the future.

He reviewed the last 13 years of democratic rule and said it was understandable for people to be impatient for change because of their harsh experiences.

He, however, noted that the democratic process takes some time to get rooted and in the process mistakes were bound to occur.

According to him, the beauty of democracy lies in the power to replace leaders who have failed to deliver the goods.

The Turakin Adamawa, however, also maintained that good governance and sincerity were essential factors in sustaining people’s faith in the system. He said democracy is a covenant between the leaders and the people and once the elected officials deviate, democracy itself will be affected.

He advised elected leaders at all levels to see power as public trust rather than as a means of self-enrichment and suppressing perceived opponents.

Atiku identified large-scale corruption as the biggest obstacle to making the lives of the people better and that leaders must demonstrate courage and political will to terminate this national cancer.

The former Vice President said the luxurious lifestyles of leaders at the expense of the people could lead to disenchantment with the system.

In a similar message, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State said the time has come for Nigeria to reclaim its pre-eminent status in Africa given the reality that the Continent has become the next frontier of world development.

Governor Fashola, who fielded questions on the state of the nation from newsmen after the Special Friday Jumat Service to commemorate the Independence Anniversary, said in the context of the African Continent being the next investment destination of the world, Nigeria should rise and take the lead in reaping the economic benefits of that reality.

“The rhetoric on Africa has changed. Ten years ago, I think it was an international Magazine which published the screaming headline “Africa, a hopeless Continent”. But today, that rhetoric has changed. The magazine has eaten its words and people of the nations across the world have said Africa is the next frontier”, the Governor said.

Noting that Africa is now experiencing six to seven percent annual growth on a sustainable basis while countries such as Ethiopia and Somalia are now experiencing development and holding elections, Governor Fashola declared, “In that context, where do we lie. That is why I started with Africa; we must reclaim our pre-eminent status.”

The Governor, however, said this would not happen “if, as a people, we continue to put ourselves down,” adding, “Those who condemned us 10 years ago have said we are the new frontier. Must we continue as a people to put ourselves down?”

Governor Fashola expressed delight that in the last 48 hours, Nigerians have been asking very honest questions as to whether we, as a people, are the problem or the nation itself. He added, “Even the sermon today is a call to nationalism, a call to patriotism. Let us see our challenges as building blocks for greatness”.

“This is not the worst place to live on earth and I can tell you that. Let us take the financial issues for instance, the Spanish government raised its taxes by 52 percent, Italy has raised its tax by 60 percent. Italians are leaving their country. That is not our position here. People are being struck by earthquakes, Tsunami, but we have arable land for farming here. There are challenges here alright but they should be seen as building blocks for us to aspire to greater things”, the Governor said.

The national publicity secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani, speaking in an interview in Kaduna, decried what he called lack of quality leadership in Nigeria.

He said: “The trouble with Nigeria is corruption which has affected every aspect of our national life. It is corruption that steals people’s empowerment, steals their opportunity and steals their future. As a result, national ideals and moral values as well as social contract among individuals and among groups have collapsed.

“I believe there is a need for cultural renaissance in order to change our ways of doing things. Another area is leadership that is accountable to the people. But this cannot happen if votes of the people do not count. And votes will not count if the people do not regard government resources as their own.”